The
draping of the jacket started in December. I draped a low-hip length torso
bodice with bust and fish eye darts. I might change it to have a side
panel and no fish eye darts. The sleeve was draped as well, however, I don't
have a photo of it at this stage.
I like having a collar and am considering doing it and the front trim, along with the pocket and cuff details on the bias like the jacket above.
The detail on the bottom of the cuff in this image is striking and I might try to do something like this with my Georgette.
In making my own version of the classic Chanel Jacket, I've deliberated over what kind of shape it would take. Would it be the classic collarless style that was introduced by Coco Chanel in the 1950's? or more of a fitted blazer with a notched collar. For me, it needs to be versatile but a little funky too. Which Silhouette would you choose?
Classic notched collar blazer with small bias fringe detail
Long one button blazer with contrasting braid
Less fitted blazer with wide bias trim at collar, pockets, front and cuffs
This year, my pet project is the Chanel Jacket. You see, I want one for myself. The Little Black Jacket, akin to the Little Black Dress, is a classic staple in a well dressed wardrobe. At just over $4,000, the real thing is out of my range. My couture teacher Susan Khalje, teaches a course on how to make one. Her class is about $1,000. Fabric invested is about $200+. Not sure I can afford to take her class this year, so I plan to try my hand at doing it on my own, using past Thread's Magazine Articles and the Claire Shaeffer book, Couture Sewing. The beauty is all in the little details.
Note the quilted lining and chain on the bottom edge.
Here is another photo of the chain.
There are lots of details to consider like fabric, trims, lining, buttons etc. I picked a nice black tweed from the Mill End Store in Portland, Oregon, while I was visiting a friend. Solid black with a large basket weave. The lining, a black crepe back satin from C&J Textiles in NYC. I also purchased buttons from M&J trims in NYC but will likely alter them by inserting them into a fabric covered washer, just to change the look. Still searching for fancy braid. A trip to Britex in San Francisco ought to solve that problem.
Nice contrasting braid on this model
I really love the Georgette trim and large braid on the sleeve hem. It's really an stunning effect.
Not a little black jacket but the details are very nice on this one. Love all the contrasting trim and gold buttons.
Sometimes the classic double C buttons can be found on Ebay.
Coco Chanel is a name people have come to know, and wear.
Her simplistic and sophisticated designs have cast a spell on us and changed
the world. One of her most iconic design is the Chanel jacket, an impeccably
tailored, collarless, tweed jacket. Little did Coco Chanel know that this would
be just one of her timeless trends that can be worn forever.
What indeed may you find in the Chanel jacket? Versatility.
The beauty of the style is how easily you can dress it up, and dress it down,
while still creating an effortless look. The jacket can make a woman look
refined, cultured, and yet mysterious as well. It can also transform into a
more soft and romantic style as well. However the jacket also brings a slouchy
suave appeal to it. Above all it can say “ I won’t bother you so don’t bother
me.”
What may seem like a regular
article of clothing for us, was a daringly different and unique for the time
period it was originally created. Society wasn’t quite used to women balancing the masculine and feminine
look, as the designer advocates the jacket as, “ a way of dressing that was
masculine in its unruffled dignity, while remaining true to its creator’s idea
of femininity.” In those days nobody would have thought that this sporty look
in women could ever be perceived as elegant. But this was all part of Coco’s
brilliance, this jacket became a powerhouse of modern fashion.
The jacket itself has a boxy shape,
cinched waist, silk lining, pockets, and a chain to weight it down. This isn’t
just a chic and stylish jacket, but a sequence of events, that requires
continuous fitting, to reveal a flawlessly tailored product. Coco Chanel
herself was a perfectionist, willing to rework fit, armholes, and even going as
far as putting chains on the hemlines of her jackets so that they would hang
correctly. Those making the jacket included only the finest materials, and the
craftsmanship that you can only find with the most skilled seamstresses.
The Chanel jacket will remain a forever classic. It’s as if
Coco Chanel wasn’t just designing for her time period, but as if she were
predicting into the future. Even after years of Karl Lagerfeld reinventing the
jacket, is it still a trendy look for our generation? Yes! If this can look
absolutely stunning on Joan Smalls by tieing the sleeves together to create a
bustier and skirt, then this is definitely a piece of clothing that every woman
should want in their closet.
note: This is first in a series of blog posts on the Chanel Jacket. We'll be making one as well and showing the progress along the way.....
